Redland City Mayor Karen Williams has written to Transport Minister Mark Bailey asking him to close a loophole being exploited by hundreds to get around a travel ban to North Stradbroke Island.
Cr Williams said that following a travel ban prohibiting non-permanent residents travelling to North Stradbroke Island, 300 applications had been received by people wanting to change their address to Straddie on their driving license.
"While some of these applications may be genuine, with so many in just over a week it is clear some are trying to find a loophole by claiming they permanently live on the island," Mayor Williams said.
"People may think they are finding a way around the system, but they are only find ways to put others at risk and so I have asked the minister to temporarily put on hold any applications to change drivers licence addresses to North Stradbroke Island."
Cr Williams said the Redland City Local Disaster Management Group had asked that non-essential travel be banned to all Redland islands, which includes North Stradbroke, in recognition of the aged communities on those islands.
"This travel ban is necessary to protect the vulnerable community and I would ask people to respect that, including our other islands where there is currently no travel ban but equally vulnerable communities," she said.
"I have been contacted by a number of people who have holiday homes on islands asking if they can travel over there for Easter.
"The answer is no and now it seems some are trying to game the system to get the answer they want.
"I realise this travel ban will be inconvenient for those with holiday homes on the island, but right now the health of the community must take priority of the recreation of some and I make no apology for that."
Cr Williams also has asked Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young to ban non-essential travel to all Redland islands to protect residents from the COVID-19 outbreak.
"The Redland City Local Disaster Management Group recommended the state ban non-essential travel to all Redland city Islands last month in view of the aged communities that live on these islands," Cr Williams said.
"The state elected only to apply the ban to North Stradbroke Island, and while I welcome that restriction, applying it to only one of our islands defies logic, particularly given the age of residents on our Southern Moreton Bay and Coochiemudlo Islands."
"...More than a third of the Southern Moreton Bay and Coochiemudlo Island populations are aged 65 or over, which more than both Moreton Island and Straddie, so it makes sense for the ban to be extended to these communities as well.
"All of these islands have limited health services and are only accessible by ferries, making it difficult to apply social distancing and to treat anyone who may contract the illness."
Cr Williams said she had heard rumours of COVID-19 patients isolating on the islands, but Dr Young had said this was not correct.
Cr Williams had asked Health Minister Steven Miles for more detailed information about where cases had been identified so the rumours could be dispelled.
